After three years of ISIS torture, Layla is looking for her husband

2018-12-18 10:45:55

The tragic story has not ended yet, as Layla is looking for her husband

Peregraf- Duhok

Layla Taalo spent three difficult years, with all kinds of physical and psychological torture. However, she did not give up. With her two children, she is striding to the other half of the path: to find her husband.

Like many other Yezidis, the Islamic State (ISIS) has torn her family apart.

When asked to talk about her experience, she told Peregraf, "Which one? What I want to explain cannot be expressed through words. They treated us with brutality, through abuse and torture."

It was a dark morning for Yezidis. Precisely at 8:30 on 3 August 2014, ISIS suddenly appeared at the gates, capturing her and her family.

As many others captured on that day, Layla could not figure out what was happening. They were forcibly relocated out of Sinjar, gathered in a stadium. The armed men started separating the women from the men. A voice through an amplifier told them to choose between converting to Islam and death.

Later on, some men were shot down execution-style by ISIS, "It was ugly. Despite our screams, they were brutes and continued with the killing.”

She will never forget that day, she says, "I covered my kids' eyes to prevent them from seeing the executions."

Layla is 31, married with two kids. She and 14 others from her family were captured by ISIS when Sinjar fell. The group separated her from her husband. With tens of other Yezidi women, ISIS took her to Baaj district in Ninawa province, "We were relocated to a school, and after some hours the ISIS emirs came to distribute us like war treasures."

Then the torture started, from physical and psychological torture to sexual abuse, and inner-group trading.

The group transferred them from Baaj to Talaafar district, western Ninawa. The women and girls were already experiencing a problematic condition, "Some died, some committed suicide failing from bearing the torture." She added, "Thinking about my family, I often thought about committing suicide, but could not do it because of my children."

When Sinjar fell, more than six thousand Yezidis were captured. The fate of half of them is still unclear, according to the statistics of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG).

After spending eight months in Talaafar, the group relocated Leila's group to Raqqa, the infamous capital of ISIS. The group distributed them to both local and foreign militants. Layla was looking to speak to one of her family, but could not find any means of communication. ISIS banned smartphones.

Some families were not affiliated with ISIS, and after two years, she found an opportunity to speak through a cellphone. She called her brother, "I asked about everyone, and knew the fate of my husband is unknown."

Layla (white dress) in the ceremony of Mother Teresa Award in India, October 2018

She called him again and again until they found an escape route.

Through some merchants in the area, her brother could trade with the group, "He could buy my two kids and I with money."

Someone picked them up and drove them by motorcycles until they reached Rojava, the Kurdish-controlled areas of Northeast of Syria.

Layla spent 15 days in Kobani, until the Kurdish militants sent them to Khana Sor in Sinjar last spring, with her kids. He saw her bother at first, "No one helped us to resume a normal life, except for the 20,300 dollars provided by the Office of Abducted Yezidis in Duhok."

Layla received the Mother Teresa Award in India in November 2018, shared with another Yezidi. She was also appointed as the ambassador of Peace in Duhok this December.

Layla is appointed as an ambassador of Peace, Duhok, December 2018

Layla and her family now live in Sharya camp in Duhok. However, her husband and some others from her family are still missing. The story has not ended yet, as she hopes to find all of them and resume a normal life.

"I always tell people: do exercise. It does not cost anything. At least try to walk half an hour on a daily basis"

After three years of ISIS torture, Layla is looking for her husband

2018-12-18 10:45:55

Peregraf- Duhok

Layla Taalo spent three difficult years, with all kinds of physical and psychological torture. However, she did not give up. With her two children, she is striding to the other half of the path: to find her husband.

Like many other Yezidis, the Islamic State (ISIS) has torn her family apart.

When asked to talk about her experience, she told Peregraf, "Which one? What I want to explain cannot be expressed through words. They treated us with brutality, through abuse and torture."

It was a dark morning for Yezidis. Precisely at 8:30 on 3 August 2014, ISIS suddenly appeared at the gates, capturing her and her family.

As many others captured on that day, Layla could not figure out what was happening. They were forcibly relocated out of Sinjar, gathered in a stadium. The armed men started separating the women from the men. A voice through an amplifier told them to choose between converting to Islam and death.

Later on, some men were shot down execution-style by ISIS, "It was ugly. Despite our screams, they were brutes and continued with the killing.”

She will never forget that day, she says, "I covered my kids' eyes to prevent them from seeing the executions."

Layla is 31, married with two kids. She and 14 others from her family were captured by ISIS when Sinjar fell. The group separated her from her husband. With tens of other Yezidi women, ISIS took her to Baaj district in Ninawa province, "We were relocated to a school, and after some hours the ISIS emirs came to distribute us like war treasures."

Then the torture started, from physical and psychological torture to sexual abuse, and inner-group trading.

The group transferred them from Baaj to Talaafar district, western Ninawa. The women and girls were already experiencing a problematic condition, "Some died, some committed suicide failing from bearing the torture." She added, "Thinking about my family, I often thought about committing suicide, but could not do it because of my children."

When Sinjar fell, more than six thousand Yezidis were captured. The fate of half of them is still unclear, according to the statistics of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG).

After spending eight months in Talaafar, the group relocated Leila's group to Raqqa, the infamous capital of ISIS. The group distributed them to both local and foreign militants. Layla was looking to speak to one of her family, but could not find any means of communication. ISIS banned smartphones.

Some families were not affiliated with ISIS, and after two years, she found an opportunity to speak through a cellphone. She called her brother, "I asked about everyone, and knew the fate of my husband is unknown."

Layla (white dress) in the ceremony of Mother Teresa Award in India, October 2018

She called him again and again until they found an escape route.

Through some merchants in the area, her brother could trade with the group, "He could buy my two kids and I with money."

Someone picked them up and drove them by motorcycles until they reached Rojava, the Kurdish-controlled areas of Northeast of Syria.

Layla spent 15 days in Kobani, until the Kurdish militants sent them to Khana Sor in Sinjar last spring, with her kids. He saw her bother at first, "No one helped us to resume a normal life, except for the 20,300 dollars provided by the Office of Abducted Yezidis in Duhok."

Layla received the Mother Teresa Award in India in November 2018, shared with another Yezidi. She was also appointed as the ambassador of Peace in Duhok this December.

Layla is appointed as an ambassador of Peace, Duhok, December 2018

Layla and her family now live in Sharya camp in Duhok. However, her husband and some others from her family are still missing. The story has not ended yet, as she hopes to find all of them and resume a normal life.